Faulkner, Faulkner! [A Short Sketch]

It was only 21-months after his mother died, inreminisces throughout, and how about all those
October of 1960, at the ripe old age of 88, Williamcharacters he created, he brings them up here and
Faulkner would die. Matter of fact, he finished his lastthere in the book. Or were they already created, and
book, "The Reivers" otherwise known as "Thehe just did a little shifting in his family history? We all
Thieves," (a witty book indeed), and it was publishedknow that he did just that, and it made for a lifetime
in June of 1962, he died one month later, in July ofof literature he could write about, something he could
1962 of a heart attack (born in 1897).write about he knew, which the best thing to lecture
Funny, when I look at such things, I look atand write about is. It liberated his world.
correlations, especially when they involvedHe was of course a drunk, and a womanizer (Joan
psychology, art, and coincidences for those I like toand Meta and his wife can attest to that), nothing
study.new; and his brother, his older brother was closer to
I've read all his books (prefer: "Soldiers Pay" andhis old mother than he, but yet it was he who died
"Absalom, Absalom!" to the rest), have most of themfirst. He was only 64-years old, not even old enough
as first editions, have a signed note by him, datedto collect his social security. Gave his Nobel Prize
1949, the year he was awarded the Nobel Prize,winnings to create an award giving committee of
although he didn't get it for another year, thereafter.sort (Pen) Buried in St. Peters Cemetery, in Oxford,
So why did he have his papers moved during theseMississippi, he now belongs to the world. He was a
final days from one university to the next. Why didstrange duck was he not.
he do what he did, write a book and fill it with